Sport
9 December, 2024
'It means the world to me': Lovel to play 200th senior match for Hornets
The CBL grand final will see Matt Lovel record a milestone.
CBL
Horsham
After securing a place in the 2024 CBL south-west men's grand final, the Horsham Hornets will also celebrate veteran Matt Lovel's 200th Big V/CBL match for the club against Mount Gambier on Saturday, December 14.
Lovel will join Tim Pickert, Cam Bruce and Tim Wade as players whose jerseys are in the rafters of the Horsham Basketball Stadium.
"Outside of two years, I've played all my basketball with Horsham," Lovel said.
"Just doing that in this club, means the world to me."
Lovel, 41, returned to senior basketball in 2008 after being asked by Steve Bruce.
"I was one of the older ones when I came back in; the guys were a lot younger than me," he said.
"Shaun and Cam Bruce, Tim Pickert, Damian Skurrie, Jake Lloyd and Ben New were fantastic."
Lovel credited what Cam Bruce and Pickert achieved during their playing days.
"I really enjoyed playing basketball with Cam. I attribute most of my points to Cam earlier on in my career," he said.
Timmy [Pickert] obviously is fantastic and super consistent over his time. Everyone brought something to that team, and you learn something off everyone."
Lovel has been involved in several championships for the Hornets including the most recent 2022 win, but one stands out the most.
In 2018, Horsham defeated the Bendigo Braves 74-63 to end a 10-year drought for the club.
"It was a big one for us because we'd lost a few," Lovel said.
In addition to his playing duties, Lovel has been the assistant coach of the CBL team for the last four years and has also coached the under-18 boys' junior representative squad, many of whom have progressed to the CBL program.
"It's great to see those guys come through it. It makes me feel really old seeing those guys," he said.
"Especially this year, they've come on leaps and bounds."
A special moment this season for Lovel is being able to share the court with Freddy Frew.
"He's my cousin's son... When I first started playing there's a picture when he's waist height," he said.
Frew credited Lovel for getting him into the sport.
"I don't think I'd be playing basketball without him. So I'd like to thank him [for that]," Frew said.
"He means so much to the group, he's one of those core guys."